Monday, December 21, 2009

Action against those exploiting SC/ST: DM

 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/Action-against-those-exploiting-SC/ST-DM/articleshow/5363272.cms

Action against those exploiting SC/ST: DM

TNN 21 December 2009, 09:56pm IST

Action against those exploiting SC/ST: DM

KANPUR: District magistrate Anil Kumar Sagar directed his subordinates
to take effective action against those accused of exploiting Schedule
Castes and Tribes and ensure justice to victims along with immediate
disbursement of compensation.

He was addressing a review meeting with public representatives and
government officials on Monday. The DM told the SP to investigate
complaints and take effective steps when he was informed that a
majority of SC/ST exploitation cases were from Sajeti police station
area. He also directed prosecution officer to take interest in SC/ST
exploitation cases and their disposal, so that victims could get last
instalment of compensation.

He asked the executive engineer Jal Nigam to install handpumps at the
identified 467 SC/ST localities of the district without delay. During
the meeting, he was informed that a sum of Rs 50 lakh had been
sanctioned as financial assistance for wedding of SC/ST beneficiaries
from social welfare advisory committees fund.

Similarly, a sum of Rs 45 lakh had been sanctioned for poor general
category beneficiaries.

When he was informed by the public representatives that there were
anomalies in the distribution of stipends and old age pension, the
district magistrate asked the district social welfare officer to
identify big technical educational institutions, inter colleges and
verify hundred per cent stipend distribution. He also asked him to
ensure the disbursement of old age pension to persons who were more
than 65 years and hailed from below poverty line families.

The district magistrate also directed the social welfare officer to
investigate and take effective steps for the disbursement of stipend
at Bhouti Pratappur inter college where, for the past two years, no
stipend money had been transferred. He also asked him to take action
against banks that had not opened accounts of students on zero
balance.

The district magistrate also asked to register all the government and
non-government construction agencies and contractors will labour
department within a week and take action against officials who had
adopted a negligent attitude.

[ZESTCaste] SC gives 25 years to 2 for ‘caste hate’ murder

http://203.197.197.71/presentation/leftnavigation/news/india/sc-gives-25-years-to-2-for-%E2%80%98caste-hate%E2%80%99-murder.aspx

SC gives 25 years to 2 for 'caste hate' murder


S.S. NEGI

New Delhi

Dec. 20: Taking into account the "caste hatred" by a Brahmin youth and
his two friends from Uttar Pradesh against a lower caste young man
from Kerala who was murdered brutally, the Supreme Court has awarded
them extended harsh life sentence of 25 and 20 years modifying the
death sentence given by the courts below.

Dilip Tiwary, a Brahmin from UP settled in Mumbai, got his neighbour
Prabhu belonging to low Ezhava caste in Kerala, murdered five years
ago after his sister Sushma Tiwary had fallen in love with him and
married him defying caste and inter-state barriers.

"In the peculiar circumstances of this case, mere imprisonment which
is capable of resulting in 14 years of actual term may not be adequate
for these accused persons. We direct that they (Dalip and his friend
Manoj) shall not be released unless they complete 25 years of actual
imprisonment," Justices V.S. Sirpurkar and Deepak Verma ruled.

However, the top court differentiated the position of Dilip's another
friend Sunil from the two because he had not assaulted the helpless
women and other members in Prabhu's family and awarded him 20 years in
jail.

A trial court in Mumbail had given death sentence to all of them
considering the "caste hatred" as one of the grounds laid down by the
Supreme Court in its broad guidelines capital punishment in murders
arising out of caste divide.

The Bombay high court had confirmed the death sentence. The apex court
converted the death sentence into extended rigorous life term to the
three accused as they had no criminal past and also considering their
young age as they were merely 20-22 years when they committed the
heinous crime.

Sushma had married Prabhu despite stern warning by her father
Premnarayan Tiwary, mother Tulsi and brother Dalip to stay away from
him because he was from a lower caste and belonged to another state.

But before their liaison both the families had good neighbourly
relations and the murder was a clear case of "caste hatred", the apex
court in its verdict recorded.


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[ZESTCaste] Bihar Assembly ratifies 109th Amendment Bill

 

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Bihar-Assembly-ratifies-109th-Amendment-Bill/557331/

Bihar Assembly ratifies 109th Amendment Bill
Agencies Posted: Dec 21, 2009 at 1933 hrs

Patna The Bihar Assembly today unanimously ratified the 109th
Amendment Bill of the Constitution, 2009 aimed at extending the
reservation for SC and ST by another ten years.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar moved the resolution and said there was no
doubt that the scheduled caste and scheduled tribes have made
considerable progress in the last 60 years and as the Bill extending
the reservation period was in the interest of SC/ST, the House should
unanimously support the Bill.

Other states should also accept the Bill that was aimed at improving
the conditions of the SCs and STS, he said.

He said the nomination of Anglo-Indians as member of the House would
continue for another ten years.

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[ZESTCaste] Now, SC/ST Confederation to go on fast for quota in pvt sector

 

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/now-scst-confederation-to-gofast-for-quota-in-pvt-sector/80632/on

Now, SC/ST Confederation to go on fast for quota in pvt sector

Press Trust of India / New Delhi December 12, 2009, 16:26 IST

After Telangana and Gorkha activists resorted to hunger strike to
press for their demands for separate states, the All India
Confederation of SC/ST Organisations today said its leaders will go on
a fast-unto-death from December 15 seeking quota in private sector.

"Inequality" and "marginalisation" of backward classes were the main
factors behind demands for separate states like Poorvachal,
Bundelkhand and Telangana, Confederation Chairman Udit Raj told
reporters here.

"There are many competent SC/ST candidates in the market. But seldom
do they get jobs in the private sector, especially in good positions.
So reservation in this sector is needed to address this imbalance," he
said.

To press for their demand, Raj said, he and other members of the
Confederation from different states have decided to go on a 'fast unto
death' protest here from December 15.

The demands of the Confederation include reservation in the private
sector and enactment of the Reservation Act, abolition of contract
labour system in government services, caste certificates issued by one
state to be held valid in all the states and reservation in higher
judiciary and Army.

Raj also said, "After Telangana there has been a spate of demands from
different regions for separate states. The TRS has been making
attempts for a separate state from 2001. But the issue came to notice
only when marginalised Dalits and Adivasis of the areas extended their
support."

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[ZESTCaste] High Courts asked to find SC/ST members from Bar for post of Judges: Moily to RS

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/newdelhi/High-Courts-asked-to-find-SC-ST-members-from-Bar-for-post-of-Judges-Moily-to-RS/Article1-483943.aspx

Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, December 07, 2009
First Published: 17:06 IST(7/12/2009)
Last Updated: 17:50 IST(7/12/2009)

High Courts asked to find SC/ST members from Bar for post of Judges: Moily to RS

The government on Monday said it has addressed letters to the Chief
Justices of the High Courts from time to time "impressing" upon them
to locate persons from the Bar, belonging to Scheduled caste and
Tribes, Minorities and women among others for appointment as High
Court judges.

Law Minister Veerappa Moily, while replying to a question in Rajya
Sabha asked by Parimal Nathwani (Independent), said empowering of SC,
ST and women is high on government agenda.

He, however, said appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court and High
Courts is made under Articles 124 and 217 of the Constitution of India
respectively, which do not provide for reservation for any caste or
class of persons.

"The government has, however, addressed letters to the Chief Justices
of the High Courts from time to time impressing upon them the need to
locate persons from the Bar, belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled
Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities and from amongst women, who
may be suitable for appointment as High Court Judges," Moily said.

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[ZESTCaste] Top govt posts elude Dalits: Govt data

http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/newdelhi/Top-govt-posts-elude-Dalits-Govt-data/Article1-488789.aspx

Vikas Pathak, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, December 21, 2009
First Published: 01:41 IST(21/12/2009)
Last Updated: 01:42 IST(21/12/2009)

Top govt posts elude Dalits: Govt data

More than half a century after Scheduled Castes were constitutionally
guaranteed reservation in government services, top posts in the
central bureaucracy have constantly eluded them.

The figures: not one out of the 88 central government secretaries is a
Dalit. On other crucial posts, too, Dalit representation is dismal:
1.52 per cent at additional secretary level (just one out of 66), 5.04
per cent at joint secretary level (13 out of 249), and 6.2 per cent at
the director level (31 out of 471).

The source: Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions, Prithviraj Chavan's reply in the Lok Sabha.

But the problem may be far more serious."The government has not quoted
the number of officers equivalent in rank to secretary, additional
secretary or joint secretary. If you add them, the problem is much
larger," said a Dalit bureaucrat. "For example, if these are added,
the total number of additional secretary-level officers is 128, while
the number of Dalits is still the same, i.e., one."

The constitution guarantees 15 per cent SC reservation at the entry
level in central services. The total number of serving IAS officers in
India today: about 4,500.

"From the joint secretary level, there are cases of bias, and SCs are
often ignored," said retired additional secretary in the Ministry of
Law and Justice O.P. Shukla, himself a Dalit. "These are not promotion
posts but selection posts. Even if a Scheduled Caste officer is the
best, he cannot claim the right to get selected."

The selection process: for becoming joint secretary in the central
government, an officer has to get empanelled. A panel of senior
secretaries does this. Once an officer is empanelled, the DoPT takes
the final decision.

It is in this process that most Dalit officers get ignored, Dalit
bureaucrats claim. But the government has a different logic.

"We consider only those officers who have prior central experience of
at least three years at junior levels. Only those who opt for central
deputation at junior levels get it," said a senior official in the
personnel ministry.


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[ZESTCaste] What The Statues Say (Opinion)

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/What-The-Statues-Say/articleshow/5359037.cms

What The Statues Say
Badri Narayan
21 December 2009, 12:00am IST

If you travel through Uttar Pradesh's kasbas, townships or cities like
Lucknow and Allahabad, you might see some 20,000 Ambedkar statues. The
vast and sprawling Ambedkar Park in Lucknow showcases tall statues of
Ambedkar along with those of Kanshi Ram, Jyotiba Phule and Periyar.
Most of these statues were erected during three tenures of the chief
ministership of Mayawati (June 1995 to October 17, 1995, March 21,
1997 to September 20, 1997, and May 3, 2002 to August 26, 2003). After
Mayawati came to power with a clear majority in 2007, construction of
these statues gained momentum. Most of them were, and are, erected by
the Bahujan Samaj Party government, with the aid of the development
funds of several BSP ministers, MLAs and MPs. All this is being done
in the name of fulfilling the dreams and missions of Ambedkar.

Strangely, Ambedkar who advocated struggles at the grassroots for the
emancipation of Dalits was never in favour of erecting statues. In the
initial days of his political career, Kanshi Ram also criticised
Ambedkar's supporters in Maharashtra for betraying him by erecting his
statues. He used to say that, in Maharashtra, Ambedkar's followers had
killed his mission, message and dreams. He would ask, "What's the use
of erecting statues, crows sit on these?" It is difficult to
understand how the BSP founder later came to support the building of
statues of Ambedkar, Mayawati as well as his own.

The dominant features of the Dalit emancipation movement that Indian
society experienced were inspired by Ambedkar and led by Kanshi Ram.
The movement developed in the form of a BSP upsurge. Kanshi Ram argued
that the bahujan movement in UP was, in fact, the extension and
flowering of the Dalit movement in Maharashtra. He even used to mix
his own ideology with that of Ambedkar.

However, in the name of carrying forward the ideology of Ambedkar, the
BSP in the past formed a government with the BJP, whose Hindutva
ideology primarily strengthened Brahmanism. While Ambedkar favoured
the abolition of the caste system in Indian society for Dalit
emancipation, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati favoured the awakening of Dalit
and backward identities in order to link these with the bahujan
movement. Thus, in UP, to strengthen Ambedkar's vision, Kanshi Ram and
Mayawati transformed his 'abolish caste system' slogan into a 'promote
caste system' one.

So, while Ambedkar wanted it dismantled, the caste system was used by
Kanshi Ram to polarise the Dalits instead. The latter's argument was
that social polarisation based on the caste identities of Dalits and
marginalised communities was meant to oppose and eventually demolish
Brahmanical politics. Ambedkar laid emphasis on identity and the
struggle for self-respect, locating Dalits in history. In contrast,
Kanshi Ram mingled myth with history, popular culture with
intellectualism. He used pragmatic wisdom (vyavaharic vivek) as the
basis of his politics. In contrast, Ambedkar wanted to empower Dalits
by building their intellectual capacities in order to ensure their
political emancipation. His idea of emancipation was not memories or
memorials.

The basic differences between Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram are latent in
the development of their personalities and viewpoints. Ambedkar, who
studied at Columbia University, was a modern and intellectual leader.
Kanshi Ram, in contrast, belonged to a small village of Punjab, with a
critical stance towards Marathi Dalit politics. He evolved as an
excellent organiser of Dalit politics. Ambedkar believed Dalits
couldn't be freed from Brahmanism within the Hindu fold. He,
therefore, embraced Buddhism along with thousands of Dalits. Kanshi
Ram and Mayawati held an opposed view on this subject, the main reason
being not to alienate and anger the majority of Dalits who are part of
popular sects of the Bhakti kaal (era of devotion) of the Hindus, like
Kabirpanthi, Ravidasi, Satnami, Shivnarayani, etc. It was a wise
political strategy, which was to both link them and carry forward the
avowed mission.

If Ambedkar were around today, he might have paused and thought very
deeply before forging alliances with the Hindutva forces. But Kanshi
Ram was known to defend his political strategy without any scruples or
qualms. He used to say, "If someone feels that this is opportunism, my
answer is that if Brahmanism used it to strengthen itself, why i
should not strengthen the Dalits treading the same path?"

Though Kanshi Ram criticised the Congress and the BJP for practising
Brahmanism, he followed the path of these political parties. Ambedkar,
on the other hand, favoured an alternative culture, religion and
politics to assert Dalit rights; he held ideology and principles in
high esteem. Kanshi Ram, by contrast, adopted pragmatic politics as a
guide in the search for Dalit emancipation. He used to elaborate the
differences between Ambedkar and himself by saying, "Ambedkar used to
collect books, i collect people."

The difference between a thorough intellectual and a practical
organiser is, therefore, pretty sharp. The statues in UP are a
testimony to two very different political visions.

The writer is with G B Pant Social Science Institute, Allahabad.

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[ZESTCaste] Rahul Gandhi may spend night in Dalit home again

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Rahul-may-spend-night-in-Dalit-home-again/H1-Article1-488884.aspx

Indo-Asian News Service
Jhansi , December 21, 2009

First Published: 14:47 IST(21/12/2009)
Last Updated: 14:50 IST(21/12/2009)

Rahul Gandhi may spend night in Dalit home again

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is likely to spend yet another
night in a Dalit's home in Jhansi district, party sources said on
Monday.

The Congress MP, who is scheduled to arrive in Jhansi later Monday by
a chartered plane, will go straight to Ghisauli village, barely 10 km
from this city in the backward Bundelkhand region, the sources said.

He is to attend a programme organised by a local NGO engaged in
welfare and economic upliftment of Dalits in the area.

Details of his programme were being kept secret "for security
reasons", the source added. However, it is learnt that he would spend
the night in a Dalit home in a particular village of the area.

Rahul's visit is significant as it is his first after he pushed a
special development package of Rs.7,000 crore for the Bundelkhand
region.

But what is equally significant is that the trip coincides with the
commencement of the first major movement for the long-pending demand
for statehood to Bundelkhand.

Bundelkhand Mukti Morcha chief Raja Bundela had December 16 launched a
300-km march to press for the people's demand for an independent state
of Bundelkhand.

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati writes to PM on Dinakaran issue

 

http://www.ptinews.com/news/431839_Mayawati-writes-to-PM-on-Dinakaran-issue

Mayawati writes to PM on Dinakaran issue

STAFF WRITER 20:18 HRS IST
Lucknow Dec 19 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today wrote
a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention to
ensure Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P.D Dinakaran gets an
opportunity to present his point of view before any action is taken
against him.

Justice Dinakaran, who faces the charge of amassing disproportionate
assets and grabbing land, faces an impeachment motion admitted against
him in the Rajya Sabha.

Mayawati said "the manner in which things are moving ahead at present,
without giving him (Justice Dinakaran) any chance to explain his case
and without giving any serious thought to it, was not in keeping with
the importance of the matter".

She told the Prime Minister that any further action against Justice
Dinakaran should be taken only after taking his viewpoint as also
taking all aspects into consideration "in a just and unbiased manner".

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[ZESTCaste] Maya playing caste politics over HC judge, says Congress

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maya-playing-caste-politics-over-HC-judge-says-Congress/articleshow/5359552.cms

Maya playing caste politics over HC judge, says Congress
TNN 21 December 2009, 01:45am IST

NEW DELHI: Taking exception to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati's
claim that the move to impeach Justice P D Dinakaran was an attempt to
victimise a dalit, Congress on Sunday accused her of doing caste
politics over a serious and sensitive issue.

"Congress does not see the issue in terms of caste, community or
religion," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said. He cautioned that
there was "no need to inject political motives into the constitutional
process".

Deploring Mayawati's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this
context, he said the Dinakaran issue was "in the judicial domain and
was also part of the constitutional process".

Singhvi said the process had adequate safeguards and "provided full
opportunity at each stage to the individual concerned".

Asked about some Congress MPs being equally vocal about Dinakaran's
"victimisation" because of his dalit identity, Singhvi termed such
utterances as "individual views".

His party colleague Manish Tiwari pointed out that Mayawati should
have waited until the inquiry committee, to be constituted by Rajya
Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, arrived at a decision. "There is no need
to tilt at windmills at this stage," he said.

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[ZESTCaste] ‘Ambedkar signifies self-respect’

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40255/ambedkar-signifies-self-respect.html

Monday 21 December 2009
'Ambedkar signifies self-respect'
Kolar:

Dr Ambedkar symbolises the self-respect of the exploited sections of
the society, opined director of Bangalore University Post-Graduate
Centre, Dr C Nagabhushana.

Speaking at a function organised to mark the death anniversary of Dr B
R Ambedkar here recently, he said that the scope of Ambedkar's
thoughts concerns the progress of all communities of people.

"The principles enunciated by Ambedkar have provided answers to
several problems that have afflicted the contemporary society," Dr
Dominick remarked. Dr V Nagaraj, lamented that people who availed
benefits in the name of Amebdkar have themselves forgotten the great
personality. Dr M Muninarayanappa, Dr G L Parvathi, Dr R Sarvamangala
were
present.


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[ZESTCaste] Dalit activist Arun Kamble may have drowned

 

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_dalit-activist-arun-kamble-may-have-drowned_1325782

Monday, December 21, 2009 2:02:00 AM

Dalit activist Arun Kamble may have drowned

DNA

Arun Kamble, leading Dalit activist and professor of Marathi at Mumbai
University, who was missing for almost a week, is suspected to have
drowned in Hyderabad's Hussain Sagar lake.

Kamble, 55, had reached Hyderabad on December 12 to participate in a
seminar at the BM Birla Science Centre. He was staying at a lodge at
Lakdi Ka Pul. After participating in the seminar on December 13,
Kamble returned to the lodge. He later went out in the wee hours and
wasn't seen since.

On Sunday, the Hyderabad police recovered a decomposed corpse,
believed to be that of the professor, from Hussain Sagar. "The face is
completely decomposed and beyond recognition," an officer
investigating the matter said. "We have called Kamble's family members
to Hyderabad to identify the body."

According to the police, the watchman of the lodge had seen Kamble
going out. The seminar organisers did not realise until much later
that the professor was missing. They then filed a missing complaint.
"That complaint is still being investigated," the officer said. "Prima
facie it looks like the body that was fished out on Sunday is of the
professor."

The police said Kamble's son is on his way to Hyderabad. "By Monday
afternoon we will be able to confirm the identity of the body," the
officer said.

A thorough academician, Kamble was known for his study of Ambedkar. He
had written several books and poems, among them Ramayan Sanskrutik
Sangharsh, Dharmantarachi Bheemgarjana, and Chalvaliche Diwas. He had
also translated works of other authors.

News of his suspected death in a mysterious manner came as a major
shock to his friends in socio-political circles. Along with poet
Namdeo Dhasal, Kamble was a founder of the militant Dalit Panther
organisation. Later, he became a general secretary of the Janata Dal
and worked with prime minister VP Singh. Kamble was also in the
forefront of the agitation demanding the renaming of Marathwada
University as Ambedkar University.

Noted Dalit writer Arjun Dangle said, "It's a big loss as he was a
committed Ambedkarite. His contribution in academics and Dalit
agitations was immense. His sudden death is a shock to me."

Said Tusshar Jagtap, "He was a brilliant academician and champion of
the Dalit cause. He told me how he wanted to donate some rare books on
Ambedkar to the university. I am deeply shocked to hear the news."

A close aide of Kamble revealed that the professor had been
complaining of ill heath for a while. At the seminar in Hyderabad he
was supposed to deliver an hour's lecture on Ambedkar's philosophy.
But he spoke for just five minutes and returned to the lodge,
complaining of uneasiness and asking to be left alone.

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[ZESTCaste] Social equity? Not in govt jobs and promotions

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_social-equity-not-in-govt-jobs-and-promotions_1325848

Monday, December 21, 2009 2:42:00 AM

Social equity? Not in govt jobs and promotions

Vineeta Pandey / DNA


The government's social equity policy does not reflect in its
functioning. Despite reservation for scheduled castes (SC) and
scheduled tribes (ST) in government jobs and promotions, there is not
a single SC at the secretary level.

Of the 874 central government officers posted at various levels, only
45 belong to SC and 23 to ST category. Not a single SC is among the 88
IAS officers posted as secretary in various central ministries. There
are four secretaries who belong to ST category though.

Among the 66 additional secretaries, there is only one officer each
from SC and ST category. Of the 249 joint secretaries, there are only
13 officers from SC and 9 from ST. And of the 471 director-level
officers, only 31 are SC and 9 ST.

Upset with the disparity, the National Commission for SC (NCSC) has
sought an explanation from the government. "We have asked the
secretary of the department of personnel and training (DoPT) to
explain this," commission chairman Buta Singh said. A commission
member even hinted at bias. "There are many suitable people, but why
are SCs/STs not picked up for top posts? One cannot rule out bias,"
NCSC member Mahendra Boddh said.

Dalit activist Udit Raj minced no words though. "The bias against
competent SC/ST officers during the empanelment of joint secretaries
stops them from becoming secretaries," he said.

DoPT clarified that officers on these posts are appointed on
deputation from various cadres. Therefore, the percentage of SC/ST
officers on these posts need not be the same as in their respective
cadres. The posts of secretary, additional secretary and joint
secretary in the ministries and departments are not promotion posts,
like those in the ministry of external affairs where posts of these
designations are cadre posts.

Under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS), the posts of secretary,
additional secretary, joint secretary and director are filled with
officers from various cadres, including state cadres, who are
empanelled from a list of those who opt for deputation under the CSS.

"There is no provision of reservation for SCs/STs in these posts.
However, at the time of empanelment, every effort is made to empanel
SC/ST officers, if needed by adopting liberal benchmarks," said
Prithviraj Chavan, minister of state in the ministry of personnel,
public grievances and pensions.

An official claimed there is usually a shortfall of SC/ST officers
during recruitment, which carries on till the end and is reflected in
appointments of secretaries. UPSC had recommended only 34 candidates
belonging to SC, 28 to ST and 136 to OBC during 2007-08, against 249
posts reserved for them in civil services, the official said.


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[ZESTCaste] ‘BBMP not spending allocated funds on Dalits’

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/20/stories/2009122059400300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

'BBMP not spending allocated funds on Dalits'

Staff Reporter


Rs. 323.62 crore in spill-over funds from previous years has remained untouched

Only Rs. 10.88 crore has been spent on educational programmes


Bangalore: The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is not
interested in spending funds earmarked for the welfare of the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, charged M. Venkatesh, Bangalore
District Convener of the Dalit Bahujan Movement.

"Of the Rs. 483 crore earmarked under the 18 per cent Scheme (for
SC/ST welfare programmes) this year, it spent only Rs. 55.12 crore. If
funds were to be calculated as per the new 22.75 per cent scheme,
there would be an additional Rs. 100 crore with BBMP," he said at a
seminar here recently. According to information provided under Right
to Information, the BBMP had allocated Rs. 32 crore for educational
programmes, of which only Rs. 10.88 crore has been spent. "However, we
later found out it has given Rs. 10 crore to the Department of Social
Welfare, which had sought funds for payment of fees and scholarship
for students.

But the BBMP, to date, has received no documentary evidence from the
department. Hence, we don't know if these students come under the BBMP
area," Mr. Venkatesh said.

A fraction


Of the Rs. 32 crore earmarked for economic programmes for SC/ST
beneficiaries, only Rs. 3.43 crore was spent. A sum of Rs. 79.38 crore
was earmarked for works under the 18 per cent schemes such as Bhagya
Jyothi, Sooru/ Neeru Yojane.

However, the BBMP constructed toilets, concretised roads and took up
drain repair for Rs. 40 crore. Of a sum of Rs. 32 crore allotted for
purchase of land and construction of houses and hostels, only Rs. 10
lakh was spent.

Spill-over funds from previous financial years amounting to Rs. 323.62
crore still remain untouched, he charged.

Mr. Venkatesh said that BBMP authorities had earlier assured him that
the funds would be completely utilised in this fiscal.


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